ESSENTIALS for Carribean Cruising

[otgadventures]

Originally Posted by SailingPassage

so two questions:

on the wind generator, heard from a lot of people that the noise associated with the generator can be a bit annoying. anyone have any experience with this? are people just complaining for the sake of complaining or is this a legitimate concern?

watermaker, how much fresh water do these actually make and at what speed? is it possible to support of crew of three for passages of a few days (clearly having some jugs of water on board as a back-up)?

thanks again for all the replies; very helpful information.

Hi Group, long time sans posting. Busy getting ready to return to the boat for crossing from Bahamas, to Panama area.

We installed a Desalinator "water maker" and perhaps it is the best investment on the boat. It uses about 5-8 amps, and from 10 to 2 approximately, the solar panels, (2 90 watt Shell panels) makes enough electricity to run the thing without depleting the house bank) we can get about 24-30 gallons. It takes 3 gallons to flush after finished making water. The expense per gallon curve goes down daily, and we've got it down below $1.80 a gallon so far on what we made in 4 months. Ya, that's expensive, but another 4 months will see the price down to $.90 etc. Buying water in marinas that is drinkable can run $.50 a gallon many places now, plus we have clean fresh water for quick showers after swims, cooking, and to put in the spritz bottle we keep at the helm for cooling off sprays. We keep 10gals. in gerry jugs for emergencies, in case watermaker quits (BTW it is a Spectra 150 model, very good equipment, 3 day self installation) so we can drink water and avoid all other water use until we get to help.

Still figuring the route from Eleuthera to Panama. Any recommendations? It seems to boil down to north of Cuba to Yucatan, then down east coast of central America, or Windwards and Leewards to Venezuela, Colombia, then Panama. Pros? Cons? Thanks

Bob & Jennifer

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by otgadventures

Hi Group, long time sans posting. Busy getting ready to return to the boat for crossing from Bahamas, to Panama area.

We installed a Desalinator "water maker" and perhaps it is the best investment on the boat. It uses about 5-8 amps, and from 10 to 2 approximately, the solar panels, (2 90 watt Shell panels) makes enough electricity to run the thing without depleting the house bank) we can get about 24-30 gallons. It takes 3 gallons to flush after finished making water. The expense per gallon curve goes down daily, and we've got it down below $1.80 a gallon so far on what we made in 4 months. Ya, that's expensive, but another 4 months will see the price down to $.90 etc. Buying water in marinas that is drinkable can run $.50 a gallon many places now, plus we have clean fresh water for quick showers after swims, cooking, and to put in the spritz bottle we keep at the helm for cooling off sprays. We keep 10gals. in gerry jugs for emergencies, in case watermaker quits (BTW it is a Spectra 150 model, very good equipment, 3 day self installation) so we can drink water and avoid all other water use until we get to help.

Still figuring the route from Eleuthera to Panama. Any recommendations? It seems to boil down to north of Cuba to Yucatan, then down east coast of central America, or Windwards and Leewards to Venezuela, Colombia, then Panama. Pros? Cons? Thanks

Bob & Jennifer

Do you have pictures of the install on the Gemini? I know there is not a lot of room on one.

[otgadventures]

Originally Posted by Therapy

Do you have pictures of the install on the Gemini? I know there is not a lot of room on one.

I have posted 14 pictures to this website. Look for user otgadventures in photogallery, and let me know if you can't find them. I have also put them on snapfish.com and if you send me an email, I can have snapfish.com let you look at them.

The scariest part was drilling a HOLE in the bottom of the boat, BELOW waterline! Yikes. Seems so counter intuitive. But the first hole was the hardest, the second one was EASY!!!

Regards

Bob & Jennifer

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by otgadventures

I have posted 14 pictures to this website. Look for user otgadventures in photogallery, and let me know if you can't find them. I have also put them on snapfish.com and if you send me an email, I can have snapfish.com let you look at them.

The scariest part was drilling a HOLE in the bottom of the boat, BELOW waterline! Yikes. Seems so counter intuitive. But the first hole was the hardest, the second one was EASY!!!

Regards

Bob & Jennifer

Thanks.
That is all in the port aft cabin as I see it. Filters etc on inboard (cockpit) side?

I have heard about but never seen the Gemini "rats nest". Aug!

[Keegan]

What about da cruising guides 'mon. you need da cruising guides.


Also, you need to bring your own coffee 'mon, cause they do not have good coffee in da islands mon, and after all da rum drinking, da coffee is darn good to have in the mornin mon.

You need a plastic binder to hold all da rubber stamped customs/immigration documents mon, cause you gonna collect alotta those 'mon.

You need da music 'mon. good music loaded on ur Ipod mon. Dont forget da reggae and steel drum music 'mon.

[Hud3]

Originally Posted by Keegan

...You need da music 'mon. good music loaded on ur Ipod mon. Dont forget da reggae and steel drum music 'mon.

Anchor close enough to shore, and you can leave off bringin' de music, mon!

On a mooring at Soufriere, St. Lucia, we listened to music from the shore all night. At 6 am they inexplicably switched from island music to George Straight! Country music under the palm trees? I felt like we'd entered The Twilight Zone!

[TexSail]

Originally Posted by Hud3

Anchor close enough to shore, and you can leave off bringin' de music, mon!

On a mooring at Soufriere, St. Lucia, we listened to music from the shore all night. At 6 am they inexplicably switched from island music to George Straight! Country music under the palm trees? I felt like we'd entered The Twilight Zone!

The first time I heard a reggae band in Jamaica singing Johnny Cash numbers, I felt the same way. Then I found out that he lived there much of the time and had helped pay to rebuild one of their national treasures when the Ja government was broke. They love him. Go figure.

[Keegan]

Originally Posted by Hud3

Anchor close enough to shore, and you can leave off bringin' de music, mon!

On a mooring at Soufriere, St. Lucia, we listened to music from the shore all night. At 6 am they inexplicably switched from island music to George Straight! Country music under the palm trees? I felt like we'd entered The Twilight Zone!

It is funny you mentinon that, last year I was waiting for the customes office to open on St Lucia and a customs officer was outside with me listening to country western music on a boom box. I asked her about it and she informed me that St Lucians listen to alot of country western music. She said that it is very popular there. Go figure...

[mangomuffins]

The scariest part was drilling a HOLE in the bottom of the boat, BELOW waterline!

I was down at the boatyard a few years ago when a gentleman came up to me and asked me if I would do him a favor. He needed to drill a hole for a new through-hull and just couldn't bring himself to do it. After verifying that he had properly located the right spot, I grabbed the drill and went to it... I glanced over at the guy and he had a grimace of shear angst on his face. 20 seconds or so later the deed was done. Frankly, I don't blame the guy... the boat was one of the most beautiful Hinkleys I had ever seen.

[Palarran]

I don't know about cruising essentials, but a fishing pole and reel is essential for our charters.

[otgadventures]

Originally Posted by Therapy

Thanks.
That is all in the port aft cabin as I see it. Filters etc on inboard (cockpit) side?

I have heard about but never seen the Gemini "rats nest". Aug!

Hi,
Electricity in port aft cabin, all else in starboard aft cabin. Filters etc., on inboard wall, pump under berth. Actually fairly good room to work compared to our Irwin!

Bob

[oldsalt_1942]

Originally Posted by mangomuffins

The scariest part was drilling a HOLE in the bottom of the boat, BELOW waterline!

I was down at the boatyard a few years ago when a gentleman came up to me and asked me if I would do him a favor. He needed to drill a hole for a new through-hull and just couldn't bring himself to do it. After verifying that he had properly located the right spot, I grabbed the drill and went to it... I glanced over at the guy and he had a grimace of shear angst on his face. 20 seconds or so later the deed was done. Frankly, I don't blame the guy... the boat was one of the most beautiful Hinkleys I had ever seen.

Years ago when I started working at a boat yard in New Orleans I was called upon to cut a 4" hole in a client's very expensive yacht. Granted, it wasn't below the waterline, but a four inch hole is formidable destruction. As I stood there contemplating the actuality of the act the foreman passed by and said, "Just do it! If it's wrong it's nothing that some fiberglass, resin and paint won't fix." It was great advice and since then I've cut hundreds of holes above and below the waterline and every time, just before I pull the trigger of the drill motor, those words echo in my head.

[imagine2frolic]

Lots & lots of throw away cameras. Especially the underwater ones. They can take some very descent pics above & below water. All with just natural light. Even the one inside Thunderball Grotto.

[sailorboy1]

Love it when I follow along on the new posts to a thread of interest just to find out it became something else.

Most important thing for the Carribean cruise; a watch with a broken face so it doesn't work and you stop looking at it!

[peterroach]

I know there will be lots of disagreements about the most important thing to bring. My list goes like this:

Someone you like (sucks to sail alone) - they can wear a bikini it does not matter as long as they have a pleasant attitude and are fun to have aboard.

Good ground tackle - I have a 55 lb delta with 250' of chain

Bimini

Dingy with BIG tubes and a big enough engine to plane (dol-fins for the engine help)

BBQ

The only other thing you need to really enjoy yourself is your dock lines securely stowed in a locker. Too many people get obsessed about what to take and how to plan for a great time that they never leave the dock. You will learn a LOT the first couple of months out so don't get too upset if you make a few mistakes.

Once you are out cruising in the islands the best thing you can do is host a couple of parties on your boat. Invite lots of other cruisers aboard for drinks and appetizers, make friends, and pick up a cruising buddy or two. Stick with them for awhile to see how they do it. Other ideas on how to meet people - Sponsor a party on the beach at sunset, hold a scavenger hunt and give prizes, tell a nighttime story on one of the VHF channels, learn to make a great dessert and give away servings from your dingy after dinner. You are limited by your imagination. The cruising part of your brain will grow exponentially. Treat it as fun and it will be. Treat it as a chore and it will be.

When I came back from my first year in the Bahamas I made the attached list of things to take so I would not forget something next time. Reading through it now I am amazed what I thought was important and what I did not include. I post it here with the caution - you can sink your boat with too much stuff. Go have fun - that is why you do it.